We are pleased to announce that we are starting a new monthly blog from the perspective of the Motive Power Department Team at Grosmont Engine Sheds.

Nick Simpson, Motive Power Manager, takes us through some of the progress being made at the Motive Power Department. This month the team have been preparing for running trains once more and have also kept up with rebuild projects both on the steam and diesel fronts.

Currently, No. 80136, No. 825, No. 92134 (pictured), No. 29 and No. 8 alongside D7628 are all available for traffic needs once May arrives, we are also aiming at having No. 76079 return after its retube, boiler repairs and fitting work complete and No. 5428, which began its winter maintenance pre-Covid, after the fitting work on the engine attention turned to the tender with new valve covers fabricated and fit, some new paint and crack testing of the draw bars and pins renewed from the machine shop, engine and tender should be reunited this coming week.

Repton is a little further away from traffic having weld repairs undertaken to the header and chimney. Also, the motion is undergoing a full exam and measure so we can eliminate wear from the previous few years in traffic, however, one job has seen a new concrete arch cast on-site by our Boilershop team and a full boiler exam.

No. 44806, on 2 road, the bogie rebuild is almost complete, new side control springs installed and wear pads (pictured). The new chimney, blast ring, front buffer and steel material are all on-site and ready for their place in the rebuild. The header for No. 44806 is currently in the machine shop having faces reprofiled and exam and replacement of any suspect studs. Motion is being removed after No. 5428’s was fit and made room in the shed and every Friday invited volunteers to come in to descale and remove yet more paint for crack testing and eventual repaint.

Also on 2 road, No. 75029 is having new steel sections let into the cab as the old was life expired. This will also see roof repairs, new rubber weatherstrip, door alignment and paintwork on all new steel in preparation for its final paint when the boiler is complete, the boiler, in the fab shop is having a new throat plate manufactured. Copper welding on the new copper side sheets is finished and work begins on the foundation ring building up and reaming holes for rivets when ready.

In the boiler shop as well is Hartland, side sheet initial reaming is going on apace, now the inner box is installed, also corner patches and throat plate lower portions have been welded in.

No. 37264 is currently in the running shed receiving bodywork repairs, welding new guttering and repairs to the nose code box by TeamDiesel. D2207 is also in the works, having new gearbox seals and other fitting jobs and leak stopping.

No. 08495 is having some electrical issues, the fault-finding begins on Friday. No. 12139 has also had an electrical cubical exam.

No. 2702's contact boiler work continues also, its new barrel sections have arrived, and the old are having various usable items reclaimed. Its next work will be to join the barrel sections, to each other, fit and rivet the dome and angle ring.

The Q6 boiler work is ongoing with the NELPG group in the final throes of completing ready for a crane lift back into the frame, work has also been going well by them on the J27, which is having its pistons bored.

On-site improvements are this month new lighting going in the wheel drop facility, the new slotting machine is almost ready for use in the machine shop and the boiler office has been kitted out with a set of works drawing drawers and desk.